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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. V. KLENHA.

UNDLBRTAKER'S CONVERTIBLE STAND. No. 485,801. Patented Nov. 8, 1892.

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No. 485,801. Patented NOV. 8, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VACLAV KLENHA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO-THIRDS TO MATTHEWBRENNAN AND J AROSLAV LENOCI-I, OF SAME PLACE.

UNDERTAKERS CONVERTIBLE STAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,801, dated November8, 1892.

Application filed April 26,1892. Serial No. 430,741. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VAOLAV KLENHA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Undertakers Convertible Stands,of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of my improvement is to provide an undertakers standadapted more especially for supporting a coffin containing a corpseafter the latter has been prepared for burial, the construction of whichstand shall render it convenient for transportation and readilyconvertible into a pcculiarly-convenient stair-carriage to facilitatecarrying the coffin on stairways.

It is furthermore my object to provide a construction of the stand forthe purposes named, which shall also adapt it to be readily convertedinto a corpse-cooling board.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a view in perspective of myimproved convertible device,showing it as arranged for a stand. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevationof the same, adapted for and applied as a stair-carriage. Fig. 3 is asimilar view of the same,adapted for a corpse-cooling board. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the runner-base of the device in its foldedcondition. Fig. 5 is a perspective edge view of the table portion of thedevice folded.

The leading features of my improved device are a folding runner -basehaving at least one end, and preferably both ends, inclined downward andoutward from the top, and a table hinged on the top of the runnerbase,whereby it may be propped to render it stable, and thus adapt the devicefor use as a stand, but be allowed to swing on its hinge to incline onan oblique end of the base, and thereby be caused to retain a horizontalposition when the device is used as a stair-carriage for supporting acoffin while being moved on the runner-base on a stairway.

The other conversion of which my device is susceptible is that of acooling-board, for which the hinged ends of the table portion areadapted to be adjusted, the one as an oblique brace for the head portionon which a pillow is to be applied and the other as an extension of thetable.

To adapt my improvement to be converted the most conveniently intoeither of the several articles referred to, the table should havefolding ends, and these, furthermore, serve the purpose of enabling thetable portion to be compacted for the more ready handling thereof intransporting the device, for which, also, the runner-base is constructedto fold and unfold.

A is the runner-base, which I construct of two triangular pieces,preferably in the form of bars, each bent into a triangle with a flatapex, from which it is braced by a pair of vertical parallel bars 0",the two being connected near the angles at their opposite ends bypivotal jointed bars g, each formed in two sections, joined together bybeing both pivoted to a link q, embraced by the bifurcated ends of thesections, whereby the bars may be folded inward from their straightposition, wherein they brace the triangular pieces. The length of thebottom rails of the runnerbase should be sufficient to adapt it to reachacross at least two steps of the stairway, and to facilitatetransportation the bottom rails may have rollers 13 in their bases.

B is the table, which I prefer to form with a frame 0, bracedtransversely across its center by a cross-piece 0 with wire-cloth 0 orother suitable material covering the space between the rails of theframe, to the opposite ends of which are hinged substantiallyrectangular frames n and m, forming folding end sections. At oppositesides of the base near its top and flanking the slots between thebrace-bars 'r are coincident eyes h for supporting a shaft k, on whichthe table B is pivotally supported by the shaft being embraced betweenears Z, depending from opposite edges of the table at the ends of itscross-piece 0' and confined by cotter-pins t", Fig. 3, the perforatedends of the shaft, which is underneath the cross-piece of the table,being extended 5 the place of its use the table B is readily separablefrom the runner-base A on withdrawing the cotter-pins 2', when the endsn and m may be folded underneath into the positions in which they areshown in Fig. 5, and the runner-base may be folded into the conditionrepresented in Fig. 4 by collapsing the jointed brace-bars q.

At the place of use of the device a stand 0, Fig. 1, may be readilyformed by straightening the jointed braces q and separating thetriangular pieces forming the runner-base, then fastening thetable B atits shaft 70 between the eyes It, and turning down the hinged endsections n and m into the positions they are shown to occupy in Fig. 1,wherein they afford legs to prop the table at its opposite ends.

To convert the stand into a stair-carriage D, Fig. 2, the end frames orsections 11. and mare turned upward into the vertical positionsillustrated Wherein they form end'stops against slipping of the coffinin either direction. Then of course the table is free to swing on itsshaft 70 and be retained in a horizontal position when the runner-base Ais being moved down, say, a stairway, to which it may have beenconveniently moved by rolling in on its rollers 19. A coffin-ladenstair-carriage of the described construction may be easily and safelyhandled by a single person taking his position at an end of the carriageto control it.

If a corpse-cooling board E, Fig. 3, is required, the device may bereadily formed or converted into the same by turning an end section 1?.of the table inward to rest against the adjacent inclined end of therunner-base, at which it may be retained by tongues 9 unfolded, like atable-leaf support, to project from the adjacent rails of the base A.Thus the table is inclined from the head end (on which a pillow fis tobe adjusted by inserting pins 6 on its base into holes in the end railof the table-frame) to the opposite end at which the hinged end sectionm is then caused to form an extension.

It is not essential that the various details of the construction of therunner-base and table shall be exactly as shown and described, as theymay be variously changed, and some even entirely omitted without therebymaterially, if at all, impairing the utility of the structure. Hence Ido not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to such details,except in those of the appended claims, in which they are specificallyset forth. .Thus, for example, it is-not indispensably necessary thatthe base shall have two inclining sides like a triangle, as one suchside may suffice in a measure at least, nor that there shall be providedthe particular brace-bars '2", nor that the folding connections qbetween the triangular pieces of the base shall be of the constructionillustrated.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is V, V

1. An undertakefis convertible stand comprising, in combination, arunner-base formed of triangular pieces having an interposed foldingconnection whereby the base may be compacted to or about to the combinedwidth of the triangular pieces, a table on the apex of the base,provided with folding end sections, and means separably pivoting thetable on the base, whereby they may be readily separated for compactingand transportation, substantially as described.

2. An undertakers convertible stand comprising, in combination, arunner-base A, formed of triangular pieces having an interposed foldingconnection whereby the base may be compacted to or about to the combinedwidth of the triangular pieces, bracebars 4" on the said triangularpieces carrying eyes h, a table B, provided with folding end sections nm, and a shaft on the table and loosely confined between ears Z,depending from opposite edges thereof near its center,

said shaft extending at its opposite ends between the eyes it and beingseparably fastened thereto, substantially as described.

3. An undertakers convertible stand comprising, in combination, atriangular runnerbase A, provided with tongues g, a table B, providedwith folding end sections 17. m and pivotally and separably supported onthe apex of the said base to adapt an end section to be adjusted as abrace against an end of the base and held by the said tongues, and apillowf, removably adjusted on the table, substantially as described.

VAOLAV KLENl-IA.

In presence of M. J. FROST, J. N. HANSON.

